Disclaimer: I do not own PRiS. I only own Valerie (She's mine) and a part of the idea for this story.
Astro Yellow - You're SO totally right. What the hell is wrong with us? A/A Rocks! (just not in this story... hehe) Thanks for the review. Here's some more.
SweetSaS - You can babble all you want, fine with me! Here's some more. Sorry that took so long, but school has been killing me. It will be over by the end of this week, so I'll start to write for this again and I hope that updates will be more frequent. Hope you like this chapter too.
Challon86 - Thanks for the compliment, it meant a lot to me. Hope you still like it. Here's more.
bRaInWaVe - Well, this is all a little messed up, but don't worry... it will get even worse! Hehe. Thanks for the review. Here's some more.
Lips of an Angel
Chapter 3
Andros was sitting on his office, trying to focus on the work he had to do. He had started this new job at NASADA a few weeks before and he couldn't be more thankful to Valerie's father. Despite of hating the former Red Ranger, Alastor had talked to the chairman of NASADA, convinced him to give Andros that job. Finally, he was able to get the necessary amount of money to pay to Alastor what he owed him.
When he and Valerie had moved to Earth, six months before, they had needed some money to settle down, buy a house and hang on the first months and Alastor had lend them that money. Andros was looking forward to pay that debt as fast as possible and be the one to pay everything in that house. Alastor had hated him ever since he had asked Valerie to move in with him and Andros didn't want to owe him nothing, not even half a dollar. The emperor of KO-35 couldn't stand the fact that his baby girl ("Well, Valerie is seventeen years old, almost eighteen…" – Andros thought) was going to move out, to go live with him. In addition, she was going to move to another planet; this had made Alastor even more furious but somehow Valerie was able to persuade him, and three months later, they were having a goodbye party at the Emperor's residence.
Now, months later, Andros was working again, Valerie was attending Angel Grove's High School and her graduation was getting closer and closer… their life was straightening up.
He opened the top drawer of his desk and took a little box: Valerie's eighteen birthday was also getting closer and closer. It was only a week away now and he had been worried for ages, trying to find the perfect gift. Then, a few days before, when he was going home, he stopped at a jewellery store and saw this amazing bracelet in the display. It was made of silver and, on the inside; Andros had asked the jeweller to write the date and her name. "I just hope she likes it…" – He thought.
Then, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." – He said, putting the box back on the drawer.
"Mr. Karovan, you have a phone call on line 3. Someone called TJ." – His secretary, informed him.
"Thanks, Danielle. Oh, and please, call me Andros…" – He asked, with a smile. The girl was about the same age as he was; it was ridiculous to be calling him 'Mr Karovan'.
"Sure. You're welcome, Andros." – She smiled too and left the room, closing the door behind her. She remained there for a minute, thinking about his name. "Andros… I've heard this name somewhere…."
Andros reached for the phone – "Hey Teej!" – He greeted.
"Hey Andros. So, you're back on Earth, uh?" – TJ's voice sounded on the speaker.
"Yeah. I've been here for six months now, but I only got the job a few weeks ago, that's why I only called you yesterday. What's up? How's everything?"
"Everything's great. Cassie and me, we have been dating for almost a year now. I'm going to ask her to come live with me… I just need the perfect timing. Maybe, on our one year anniversary… And you?"
"Well, I spent one year on KO-35 working but then there were some troubles on the company I was working for and I left. After being unemployed for three months, I decided to come to Earth, see if I could settle down here, find a job, a house and so on."
"Good, man. Look, why don't you come by for dinner? Maybe tomorrow? We have a lot to catch up with. I'll invite Ashley and Carlos and we spend a nice evening?"
Andros took a while to answer – "I don't know TJ…"
"What's wrong? Is because I mentioned Ashley?" – The former Blue Ranger wasn't stupid.
"I haven't spoken or seen her for almost two years now… and I still don't know if I'm ready to do it."
"Oh Andros come on… you broke up back then, when you stayed. Shouldn't you be over her by now?"
"There's another thing too…"
"What?"
"I didn't come to Earth alone."
"Karone came with you? Well, that is great; we thought she was still on Terra Venture. How is she?"
"No, Teej, it wasn't Karone." – Andros took a break before going on – "I'm engaged."
"What's the big deal about it? Don't you know the news?"
"Which news?" – Andros asked.
"Carlos and Ashley… they're together too."
"They are?" – Somehow, his heart skipped a beat. – "But still, I would prefer to catch with them some other time, okay?"
"Okay. No problem. However, come by tomorrow? I'll explain the situation to Cassie and she'll agree to only have you guys for dinner. Of course I want you to bring… uh, what's her name?"
Andros laughed – "Valerie. Her name's Valerie."
"Well, tell her that tomorrow she won't have to cook your dinner. I'll do it!" – TJ joked.
"You? Well, maybe we're not going. I don't want to get any type of food poisoning!"
"Ahaha, very funny stripey boy. Perhaps you just gave me an idea. See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow! What time should we arrive?"
"About 8 o'clock is fine for you?"
"Yeah, it's perfect. See you then."
"See you." – TJ said and they hung up.
Andros stared at the phone for a while after the call was ended, thinking about how he had felt when TJ had mentioned Ashley and Carlos.
"Why did I feel that way? I love Valerie, not Ashley. That chapter of my life is over. I just... got surprised, that was it!" – He thought.
Then, he turned his attention back to his work, stating – "That must be it!"
----
"I'm home!" – Andros said, closing the door and throwing his keys to the table.
"Living room!" – was Valerie's answer.
Andros smiled. She was finally going to meet some of his friends, the ones he kept talking about all the time. She had insisted to meet them as soon as possible and Andros could guess her reaction when she got to know that she was going to be introduced to them.
"You came home earlier today!" – She said, happily, lifting her head up from the books and notebooks that filled the table.
"Yeah, I got all over that stuff faster. And you? What subject is today?"
"Biology. This is easy too. My top favourite, you know…"
Andros smiled and leaned down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and got up. He passed his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.
"You shouldn't study this much…" – He advised.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. I need to study really hard as my exams are getting closer. I need to pass to be able to get a job and attend college at the same time. I don't want to explore you, Andros…"
"Shh, don't be silly!" – He said, kissing her again. Then, he whispered – "Time to take a break."
Andros lifted her off the ground and carried her to the couch. Valerie's laughter echoed in the room, when he settled her down on the couch and continued kissing her neck softly, hitting his knee on the floor when he knelt beside the couch.
"That must have hurt!" – She commented.
"I don't mind…"
"Neither do I." – Valerie smiled – "I would stay here, but I really must study, Andros." She tried to get up but he didn't allow her to.
"Come on, don't be childish… Let me get up!"
"Okay, okay…" – He let her get up and when she direct to the kitchen to get something to drink he spoke again – "That way, you won't get to know the news…"
Valerie's head appeared back on the doorway – "Which news?"
"Oh, no, no… Don't you have to study?" – Andros said, smiling, innocently to her.
She shrugged her shoulders and went to the kitchen. She came back a few minutes later, with a glass of apple juice on her hand and sat back on the table, looking at her notes about DNA and chromosomes and genetic evolution.
Andros crawled to the couch and rubbed his knee - "Well, the news is that, as far as I'm concerned, tomorrow's night there's not going to be any studying!"
"What?" – She turned to him. – "Why?"
"Because we're going out to dinner… at TJ's."
"Really?" – Valerie got up again and sat back on the couch, near her boyfriend. – "You finally talked to them?"
"Well, not them, just Teej. You remember him, right? The Blue Ranger, the tallest guy... dark skin and former Red Turbo Ranger? The one who was on command when we found the rebels on that deserted planet?"
"Yeah, I remember him. But why did you only talked to him?"
Andros sighed and took a deep breath – "There's something you must know, V…"
She reached for his hand – "And that is…"
"I was dating the Yellow Ranger, Ashley, when they left KO-35. We broke up back then and I haven't spoken to her ever since… And I'm not sure if I'm ready to see her again."
Valerie leaned her face down, trying to understand what he had just said – "Wait, no, V. Please… listen to me. It is just… weird, you know. Seeing her again, it will bring me memories… but that has nothing to do with the present. My present and most important of all, my future is with you Valerie…. I love you!"
Andros lifted her hand, kissed it and repeated – "I love you."
She looked back at him and stroked his cheek – "I'm sorry. I don't have the right to say like this... It was just that…" – She hugged him tight, saying - "I don't wanna lose you!"
"You won't… Don't worry, you won't!" – He hugged her back – "I promise."
----
Danielle was sitting at her house, waiting for the phone to ring. When it finally rang, she jumped and hurried to get it.
"Yes?"
"Danielle? It's Ashley. Carlos said you called and you wanted to talk to me. Something happened?"
"Yeah. Ashley, I have something to tell you. Can we have lunch together tomorrow?"
"Sure. I only get off classes at 2 pm… is it okay with you?"
"Yes. It's fine. See you at Luigi's?"
"Sure. See you tomorrow….Dani?"
"Yes?"
"Is it anything serious?"
"No... Don't worry, Ashley." – She answered – "See you tomorrow."
They hung up and Danielle sat on the nearest chair. When she had arrived home, she had looked at the picture hanging on one of the walls. It had been on her graduation. Standing next to her was a girl, dressed in yellow, both of them proudly showing their diplomas. Around the other girl's neck, was a pendent with a gem that she had never seen before. A pendent that had been given to that girl by her ex-boyfriend, which Danielle had found out later that was originally from another planet – some weird stuff about a space colony – and had stayed there after saving Earth. The girl had told her the name of that boyfriend… Andros.
"How am I going to tell you this, Ash?" – Danielle wondered. They had become great friends in their senior year and remained great friends nowadays. Ashley had trusted her with her great secret… the love that she had left on that planet, the piece of her heart that had been missing since then.